Shortcut through the Cemetery
by bean-the-shadow
Summary: "It'll be fine," Tai sported that grin that always reassured Izzy and made him feel safe. "What's the worst that could possibly happen?" A lot, Izzy told himself.


"Tai," Izzy called out to his friend, "I know you said it's a shortcut but…" He trailed off as he gazed at the cemetery in front of them. He knew it was irrational to fear something so trivial, but just looking at the quiet area made his blood run cold.

"It'll be fine," Tai sported that grin that always reassured Izzy and made him feel safe. This time, however, it did nothing of the sort. It felt like Izzy had stepped in wet cement, and his feet refused to listen to his brain. "What's the worst that could possibly happen?"

 _A lot_ , Izzy told himself, but remembered this wasn't the Digital World. Just because the sun was blotted out by dark grey skies, did not hold any other meaning besides the probability that it would rain. It wasn't a dark omen created by a digimon. It was just nature and the clouds were bringing in a change in weather. Izzy knew all of that. His brain understood, but his body fought him. He was tense and did not trust the sight before him. Too many experiences – Digital World or not – told him that cemeteries, late in the day, were a bad idea.

"Just trust me," Tai smiled, offering a hand. It was a comforting sign, and although Izzy did not take it, it was nice to know the option was there.

"Alright," Izzy sighed. Willing his legs to move, he followed Tai into the cemetery. He ignored the clammy feeling of his hands, and reminded himself that the cemetery would easily trim 15 minutes off their walk. It would benefit them in the long run, especially if the clouds decided to open up.

Izzy kept his eyes down, trained on the backs of Tai's shoes. It was almost too quiet, like the city beyond the cemetery had just disappeared. The only sounds came from the gravel beneath their feet and the cry of the occasional crow. _Are crows normal for this area?_ Izzy asked himself, chancing a glance at the bird to find it staring at him. He looked to Tai's back, but the brunet seemed at ease with their surroundings. Of course he was, Tai was the one that brought up the shortcut in the first place.

They were halfway through the cemetery when Izzy thought the temperature dropped a few degrees. _It's probably just the cold front finally moving through_ , he reminded himself, but it didn't stop the shiver that crawled up his spine. But then something else happened that his mind could not find a logical reason for. Fog began to spread from an unknown source in the cemetery.

It had started out thin, but soon Izzy felt like it was closing in around him, like a thick, white blanket that he was struggling to see through. It was suddenly too damp and too cold for his liking. He remembered all the things he and the others went through in the Digital World, but not just there. Myotismon had come to their world. He had tormented so many people, and it was hard to forget the fog the digimon had encased them all in. Instinctively, Izzy's eyes scanned the fog for Bakemon.

He wished he could see. He wished Tentomon was there with him. He wished they hadn't come into the cemetery in the first place.

"Izzy?" Tai's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "You alright?"

Izzy noticed the worry in Tai's eyes. He hadn't even noticed they'd stopped walking. "Of course," he answered, hoping his voice was steady. "Didn't know the weather called for fog is all."

"You sure?" Tai asked, looking down.

Izzy looked down as well to see he was gripping Tai's wrist so tightly his knuckles were white. He was at a loss for words. He didn't remember stopping and he most definitely didn't remember reaching for Tai. When he tried to remove his hand, Tai actually reached out and gave it a comforting squeeze. The warmth of Tai's hand calmed him.

"Don't worry." Tai's voice seemed to echo through the fog. "We're almost out."

Izzy nodded and followed silently. Focusing only on the feel of Tai's hand around his, he put one foot in front of the other. The farther they walked the warmer he felt, but it wasn't until he saw the other entrance of the cemetery did he relax.

"See?" Tai asked, stopping just outside the gate. Izzy swore it was brighter, warmer, and louder outside the cemetery. The fog was also nowhere to be seen. "Nothing happened!"

Izzy looked directly into Tai's eyes. "We are never taking that shortcut again."


End file.
